A key part of the Girl Scout Leadership Experience is the leadership journey, a series that uses a storytelling theme in a fun and grade-level relevant way for girls to better understand themselves and their potential. Each journey is tied to some of Girl Scouts' 15 national outcomes for girls, as defined in the Girl Scout Leadership Model. These outcomes are integral to the three leadership keys – Discover, Connect and Take Action.

Girl Scout Journeys invite girls to explore a theme through many experiences and from many perspectives. All the joys of travel are built right in: meeting new people, finding new things, making memories, gathering keepsakes. Along the way, girls take on challenges that guide them to develop their leadership skills and values and earn awards recognizing their accomplishments.

The content of the journey series have been correlated (by grade level) to the health and PE, language arts, math, science and social studies standards for all 50 states, plus the District of Columbia.

Journeys provide an important foundation for each age level in Girl Scouting for girls and volunteers. Just by following a journey, members will be engaging in the Girl Scout Leadership Experience (and practicing some Girl Scout traditions!). When the journey ends, girls and their volunteers can apply what they have learned to everything else they do in Girl Scouting.

No matter how much time girls spend on a journey, the whole is always greater than any single part. When a Girl Scout journey comes to a close, girls and their adult volunteers feel a sense of accomplishment. The awards girls earn on journeys mark their achievements—so let’s encourage everyone to take their time with the “learning and earning”! Plenty of tips in the girl and adult books provide suggestions for ceremonies and reflections to make earning the awards a more meaningful part of Girl Scouting.